Creating a Leafy Ceremony Arch for Your Autumn Wedding!

Some weddings have altars. Some have spreading oak trees. Others have chuppahs or flower-decked trellises. But for a fall wedding, in particular, wouldn’t a ceremony arch decorated with autumn leaves be a perfect backdrop for your exchange of vows? We certainly think so. So here is how you can make this happen, with a combination of some creative sourcing and DIY crafting. Then, you can even transform this ceremony backdrop into a welcome arch for your indoor reception!

Creating the Ceremony/Welcome Arch

The basic frame – The one challenge of this backdrop is fabricating or sourcing the basic frame for the arch. You could inquire about renting one from a florist or landscaping service in your area. Or if you’re lucky enough to have a handyman in the family, you could have it built! For our set, we sourced an arch frame made of black wrought iron.

The embellishments – To this basic metal frame, we wired on bare woody branches that were pliable enough to bend in the form of an arch. You could easily gather fallen branches like these from your backyard or a nearby park or forested area.

Then, to create the autumn look, we inserted bright orange faux maple leaves among the branches and twigs. You could do the same or use actual fallen leaves that you’ve also gathered. Secure the leaves in place with dabs of hot glue.

The lighting – Finally, just before the ceremony, we suggest adding candles in hanging votive holders. Of course, do be sure that the flame isn’t right underneath any of the leaves or smaller twigs! In our case, we decided to be extra cautious and opted for those little battery-operated tea lights that are now available.

So there you have it, a lovely ceremony backdrop perfectly suited to a rustic autumn wedding! And once the vows have been exchanged and the photos of the wedding party taken, it can be moved indoors to usher guests into the reception as a welcome arch, too!

To see how this arch fits in with the rest of our Fall Wedding set, visit these posts:

Elegant Decorating Ideas for an Autumn Wedding Reception
Fall Table Centerpieces for a Wedding with a Rustic Charm
4 Fall Wedding Palettes Inspired by Nature’s Hues